Chuck & Sarah vs The Accidental Family
by dolcegrazia
Summary: This wasn't supposed to happen. None of this was supposed to happen. He was supposed to have the Intersect out of his head. She was supposed to be able to love him and say it out loud. A wee bit AU, takes place after The Ring.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note - **Hi! So, this is my first Chuck fanfiction. I've been writing 'fic of various kinds for many years, mostly for One Tree Hill lately. But I've totally fallen in love with Chuck the past few months. This isn't my best story, but I just couldn't get it out of my head.

FYI- pretend that there was no interruption during the motel scene in S2.

Please read and review!

-----

This wasn't supposed to happen. None of this was supposed to happen. It's been two years that she's been in Los Angeles, living as Sarah Walker every day. Protecting Chuck, all the while pretending not to love him. Why did she always fall for her co-workers? Bryce? Chuck? There was something different about Chuck, though. Every moment with him, even the bad ones, made her heart jump in ways she had never felt before. None of this was supposed to happen.

"_Guys, I know kung fu."_

_The room is deathly quiet, apt since there are 5 dead men on the ground surrounding Chuck. _

"_What the…?!" Casey finally mutters._

"_Chuck, what happened?!" Sarah exclaims as she stands rooted in her place. _

"_The Intersect…I uploaded it", Chuck says. He's hesitant, because he knows what his handlers' reactions will be._

"_What!?", Sarah exclaims again. "Why?"_

"_I had to…"_

"_Oh, Chuck", she says quietly. "You weren't supposed to do that."_

_Sarah and Chuck share a glare at one another but turn as Casey speaks again._

"_Looks like Team Moron is back in business."_

It's been four days since she found out and ever since, Sarah Walker has been unable to sleep. Her hotel room is too quiet and her mind is too busy. For hours she stares up at the ceiling, finally falling into a fitful half-slumber before begrudgingly waking up for her 6:30 alarm. She no longer throws knives at the device, choosing instead to throw a pillow over her head before finally groaning and getting out of bed.

Chuck went back to work at the Buy-More so Sarah went back to work at the Orange Orange across the shopping center. Upon finding out about Chuck's upload of the 2.0, General Beckman first scolded him but then reminded the team that their covers were still intact and would remain that way. Sarah would remain Chuck's girlfriend which was both a relief and not a relief at the same time.

Every day is sunny in Burbank and that has always bugged Sarah. Can't the weather reflect one's moods? Who could always be so sunny?

As she walks into the Buy-More, it strikes her that nothing is different. She feels like something should be different. Sarah finds Chuck immediately at the Nerd Herd station in the center of the store. She can tell that he's yelling at Jeff and Lester for some unknown, but undoubtedly hilarious reason. Chuck spots Sarah standing down the aisle and smiles slightly before excusing "Jeffster" and walking up to his…girlfriend. Or something.

"I didn't know you were coming in today", Chuck says. He pecks Sarah quickly on the lips hesitantly, still unaware of what their greetings should be. "I didn't flash on anything- do we have a mission or something?"

"Nope", Sarah says. "I just wanted to stop by."

Sarah turns to check out where the cameras are planted and then turns back to Chuck, who is staring at her in confusion.

"What's up…?"

"We need to go somewhere without surveillance."

"I see", Chuck says flirtatiously. "But I thought you liked when Casey watched."

"Chuck", Sarah says seriously.

"Okay, no humor today then. Noted."

The blonde grabs the brunette's hand forcefully and yanks him towards the door.

-xx-

This conversation needs to happen, but it's terrifying Sarah. She wasn't built for this or trained for this. And she hates when things happen that are out of her control.

They're sitting on a bench at the beach and neither has spoken a word since they arrived fifteen minutes ago. The only sounds are the waves crashing.

Chuck is the first who decides to break the silence, to figure out why Sarah brought him here.

"So…", he says as he clears his throat, turning to face his handler.

"Do you remember the first time we were here?" Sarah says quickly, still staring in front of her. She can't stop playing with her fingers in her lap and the nervousness is obvious in her voice.

"After I unwillingly uploaded the Intersect and you and Casey both nearly killed me? Yeah, I remember that."

"I told you to trust me", Sarah says, now turning to face her asset. "Do you remember?"

"Very well", Chuck replies.

"The truth is, sometimes I have no idea what I'm doing. We're trained to never be surprised, to always anticipate. But that's not always possible and sometimes I have no idea what will happen tomorrow or even this afternoon", Sarah admits, still concentrating on Chuck's face, unable to break his eye contact.

"Why are you telling me this, Sarah?"

"Something's happened…that I didn't anticipate. I should've, but I didn't and now I don't know what's going to happen."

Chuck looks alarmed and grabs Sarah's hands from her lap to stop her from fidgeting. "What's going on?" he says, his voice cracking.

"I'm pregnant."

"_What!?_"

"I'm pregnant with your baby, Chuck."

Chuck's jaw drops as he stares at the blonde next to him. "That morning at the motel…?" he says when he finally regains some semblance of composure.

"We didn't use protection", Sarah says simply.

"Morgan left me an IOU", Chuck says quietly as he stares back out at the ocean. "Wow, Sarah…what now?"

"I don't know. I have no idea what to do."

"We're having a baby."

"I don't know", Sarah says nonchalantly.

'What?!" Chuck exclaims as he turns to Sarah and stands up. "What do you mean, you don't know?"

"I mean that I don't know if we're having a baby", Sarah responds as she stands up to face him. This isn't how she wanted the conversation to go, but she figures that she shouldn't be surprised. "Chuck, I'm a CIA field agent, one of the best. I can't be benched for 9 months. I can't be discharged right now. This wasn't supposed to happen!"

"But it happened! You're pregnant and this is supposed to be _good_ news! So, you told me that you're pregnant with my baby and now you're going to take it all away?"

Sarah just stares blankly ahead of her, into Chuck's dark, angry eyes. She tries to speak but nothing comes out, so she falls back onto the bench and stares out in front of her.

"It's just…this wasn't how it was supposed to happen. You were supposed to have the Intersect out of your head. I could've loved you and been able to say it out loud. Chuck, if I have this baby, the agency will flip shit. And could you imagine Casey's reaction?"

Chuck sits back down next to the blonde agent and puts his arm around her. She looks shocked for a moment and then adjusts, setting her head down on his shoulder.

"Think about it, Sarah. This could be the beginning of something awesome."

-xx-

After sitting on that bench at the beach for over an hour, sometimes in silence, sometimes talking about random things though never touching the reality of the situation, Chuck's phone vibrates and a text from Ellie asks if Sarah wants to come over for dinner. Sarah nodded silently in response and they got up to leave. Chuck grabs Sarah's hand and she accepts it. The beach really did always make everything that seemed awful suddenly seem a bit more okay.

When Sarah's Porsche pulls up to Chuck's apartment, she cuts the engine but remains seated.

"Can we stay here for a few minutes?" she asks.

"Of course."

"Thanks", Sarah says quietly, staring down at the steering wheel.

"So, when did you find out…about the baby?" Chuck asks.

The blonde agent shifts in her seat and then turns to face the man next to her. She's incredibly close to cracking a smile.

"A few days ago." She pauses, "I kept craving Weinerlicious corn dogs. But I never got to actually have one because every time I walked in, I felt like vomiting."

Chuck's eye bug out and Sarah actually does smile.

"That sounds pleasant", he says.

"Oh, it was. That and I'm three weeks late. I took seven home pregnancy tests and they all said the same thing. I recall nearly passing out. I haven't been able to sleep or think straight. But you know what, maybe this could work. Maybe I could figure it out. I do…want kids, Chuck. And I think I really, really want your kid. I just need to figure out what to do."

"Well, we've got the first part done."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note - **Thank you for the wonderful response to chapter 1. I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter, but I wrote it while I was on vacation, with no wireless Internet access.

When I first thought of this story, I wasn't sure how much of the action part of the show I would bring into my story. Mainly because I didn't think I'd be able to write that aspect- I still don't. However, I went for it anyway, because it'll help move Sarah and Chuck's thought processes along.

That being said, the inspiration for some of the action aspect of this story comes from the great novel by Andre Dubus III called The Garden of Last Days, which incidentally takes place where I vacationed.

-xx-

Sarah Walker knows how to be a spy. She knows how to throw a knife so fast, you don't see it until it stabs you. She knows how to seduce her mark until he's putty in her hands. She knows how to kick, to punch and to choke. What she doesn't know is how to be a woman. She's never had a best friend, never gone to college and drank so much that she puked until she blacked out. She's never had a real boyfriend.

But now, she has to be a spy and a woman. She has to protect her asset and protect the life growing inside of her. No one can know that second part yet, though. She's too afraid to tell anyone else besides Chuck. She still hasn't had a doctor confirm it, so she doesn't know her exact due date. The morning at the motel was nine weeks ago, so maybe she's nine weeks along? But she doesn't know how doctors count these things.

She's too afraid because it's still possible that she will lose the baby. Sarah's too afraid because there's still a part of her that's not sure that she can even have this baby to begin with.

But then she looks at Chuck, her asset and the father of the life growing inside of her. She sees his smile and wonders if their child will have that goofy, happy grin as well. Sarah wonders if the child will have Chuck's curly brown hair or her straight, pale blonde.

Will her child be like her? Or will her child be like Chuck? Will the baby be happy-go-lucky like its father, excited by the world but secretly cynical at the same time? Or will the baby be stoic and damaged like its mother?

These thoughts have kept Sarah's mind running nearly 24/7. She's even dreaming about these questions. But when Chuck flashes for the first time in weeks, it's time to go back to what she knows- how to be a spy.

-xx-

Mohammed el-Sayyid has been in the United States for three weeks. He's been given $16,000 and instructions written in the margins of the Quran. He knows what he's to do and for three weeks, he's been working to transform himself until the day that he's to be reborn, to be brought back to his leader.

He's been able to lay low, moving from New York City to Miami to Los Angeles before meeting up with his three associates. They know their mark and now they prepare.

He's been able to lay low until he discovers a problem with his laptop and comes to the Burbank Buy More to have it looked at.

Chuck's flash is short but frightening. It's the Quran, pieces about jihad popping out from the pages. There's Osama bin Laden and Ramzi Yousef and there are airplanes. And for some reason, there's also an image of pie.

When his flash ends and the customer is still standing in front of him, Chuck shakes his head and gulps, promising to have the laptop returned to tip-top shape by the next morning. When the man finally leaves, Chuck nearly runs over everyone in his wake until he finds Casey trying to yet again, move a Beastmaster. Their subsequent conversation is short and leads them straight to Castle, grabbing Sarah as she cleans the counters of an empty yogurt shop.

General Beckman's presence through the video monitor is intense and the team knows that an important mission lay in front of them.

"Chuck, your flash represents just some of the intelligence we have gained in the past 8 years regarding a resurgence of the Taliban in various Middle Eastern countries and their renewed vigor to strike the United States again. Homeland Security has been sent intelligence from multiple nations about more plane strikes. The man you met is named Mohammed el-Sayyid. He is an Egyptian national who is part of a plan to take down the United Nations."

"General, if I may interrupt", Sarah says as she takes a seat at the table, paper in hand for note-taking. "If el-Sayyid is part of a mission to take down the UN, what is he doing in Los Angeles with a broken laptop?"

"That I don't know the answer to. It is up to your team to not only determine the nature of his mission, but to bring in Mr. el-Sayyid at any cost. A tail was set up on his vehicle this afternoon and his car has been parked in front of Dirty City for the past thirty minutes."

"The strip club?" Chuck asks.

"Yes, Mr. Bartowski. The strip club. It seems as if he has not left his car since pulling into the parking lot. Your mission is to infiltrate the club."

Chuck looks to Sarah because he's afraid he knows what this mission will entail and Sarah responds by looking down at her notes, trying to avoid his concerned gaze and her racing thoughts.

"How exactly will we infiltrate, General?" the Nerd Herder asks, stumbling on his words.

"Agent Walker is to pose as a stripper, doing anything she has to to get Mr. el-Sayyid alone."

"I'm not, uh, quite sure if that's a good idea…" Chuck says, mumbling the end because he sees that Sarah has lifted her head and is glaring at him.

"What's the problem?" Casey asks, looking back and forth between Sarah and Chuck. General Beckman is doing the same.

"No problem", Sarah says too quickly. "It's okay. It's okay."

Casey and Beckman are still as confused as ever, but the General continues.

"This assignment needs to begin immediately, before the mark leaves the parking lot. I'll check in in a few hours."

Just as fast as she appeared, the General's image is gone and the three members of Team Bartowski are left silent.

"What is up with you two?" Casey asks. "You nervous about your girl being drooled over by a bunch of drunk, sweaty men? It's nothing that hasn't happened before."

Chuck and Sarah both look up from their spots at the table and glare at the major.

"But now it's diff…" Chuck says but is unable to finish his sentence before Sarah jumps on him, metaphorically speaking.

"Can I talk to you upstairs, Chuck?" Sarah gets up from the table and walks to Chuck's side, pulling him up.

"Well, you see, you phrased that like a question and I don't think…"

-xx-

Sarah's not dumb, she knows the Orange Orange is bugged so she continues to pull Chuck upstairs, through the shop and out into the parking lot.

"Sit", the blonde woman says as she gets to the yogurt shop's patio chairs.

"Okay, okay", Chuck says, conceding. "I'm sitting."

"You and I had decided, well…I had decided that we're not telling anyone yet. It's still early and I can still do my job."

"But this is a dangerous mission."

"They're all dangerous, Chuck."

"I'm just afraid that you're going to lose the baby…", the man says as he rests a hand on the belly of the blonde agent standing above him.

Before Sarah can even register what Chuck has done, she grabs his hand and pulls it off of her abdomen. Not even ten seconds has gone by but that quick moment says enough.

"I'm sorry", Sarah says. "I'm just, I'm not used to being touched like that and I just don't know…"

"…if you want the baby", Chuck says, finishing Sarah's sentence with a sad tone and his puppy dog eyes.

"It's more that I'm not sure how to have it. The agency will…"

"Forget the agency for one minute", Chuck says, exasperated. "Just try to think of what _you_ want."

"I have. I am. Every second since I found out. But right now, I need a break from the constant chatter in my head. I just want to do my job again, something I'm good at. I'll be fine tonight, Chuck. G-d knows that you'll be there because you'll refuse to stay in the car. And Casey will be there, too. Me and your baby will be fine."

-xx-


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note** – Again, thank you for the reviews! It's so wonderful to see them in my inbox and to see that you guys are enjoying my work. I'm enjoying writing it!

This chapter is full of angst, drama and action (so much so, I kind of even scared myself) but I promise that I'll write some fluffy stuff soon!

-xx-

Mr. el-Sayyid has been sitting in his rented Mercedes for 45 minutes. He's parked in front of a strip club and any ordinary man would dash out of his car at the thought of naked women dancing in front of him, _for_ him. But Mohammed is not an ordinary man, he is a holy man. He wants so desperately to see these dirty and loose women but he grapples with whether or not he should give in to the most simple of human urges.

He lifts his head up from the Quran in his lap just in time to see a Porsche pull in to the spot next to his car. He can see the occupant before she even steps out of the Porsche. She is a blonde woman with perfect features. It's when she leaves her vehicle that Mohammed can see her body – tall, thin, so toned. Her tank top is tight across her chest, her shorts so teasingly short. He can't tear his eyes away. She is an enticing creature.

Mohammed knows his place, what's to come. He knows that he will see beautiful women dancing for him soon. But this blonde woman is so beautiful and he has so much money.

Before he could continue contemplating for another moment, he has opened the door and stepped out into the hot California air. Walking to the door of the club, Mohammed looks up at the neon sign glistening in the sun – he hopes this is worth it.

-xx-

Everything has been arranged and not five minutes after Sarah has taken the stage for her 15 minute show, the mark walks in the door. Sarah notes how out of place, yet frightening he looks. That's kind of the way she feels as well. She used to be able to do these kinds of missions without a second thought, without even considering how degrading it is or how uncomfortable it makes her. Her body has been an object, a weapon, for years now but that notion has become increasingly difficult to deal with. Especially now that her body is also housing, growing and protecting a baby.

It doesn't take long for Mohammed to turn to the bouncer standing next to him, Casey in disguise.

"I want to see her alone", he says in broken English and a heavy accent.

Casey nods slowly to convey agreement to Mohammed and confirmation of mission to Sarah. By now, she's in a bra and lacy boy shorts and is trying to be seductive while at the same time, she feels like she's going to crawl out of her skin.

Chuck's in the van, running surveillance but since the mission was on such short notice, the team didn't have time to tap into the security system so in the meantime, the only surveillance is Casey's "lipstick cam" and the bug in Sarah's ear. He can see Sarah's striptease and hear "I'm in Love with a Stripper" and he's never felt so close to vomiting.

Soon enough, Sarah saunters off the stage, the CIA upwards of a thousand dollars richer. Casey escorts the mark and the blonde agent as she links arms with Mohammed and pulls him towards one of the Champagne rooms where clients are able to spend some alone time with the girls. Casey stands guard at the door after the two enter, standard procedure at Dirty City.

The room is small, with velour seating and bright red walls. Sarah can hear the distant music from the stage area but mostly she can just hear the crass rap music that plays in the red room. Her mark sits at the end of the small couch. He smiles at her, trying to be conniving but Sarah can tell that he's trying too hard.

"You're new here", he says.

"Yup", Sarah replies, nodding. She moves to stand directly in front of him. His face in line with her purple lace-covered crotch.

"You looked good out there."

"Thank you", Sarah says flirtatiously, tilting her hip to one side.

"Just like a whore."

Mohammed smiles and Sarah stands up a little straighter. She looks towards the door and Mohammed notices.

"Looking for the bodyguard? I won't hurt you."

"Okay. So, what would you like?"

"You dance", he says as he pulls a wad of cash from his pants' pocket. "I pay you, you dance."

"You got it", Sarah says as she begins swaying to the music. It's almost like an out of body experience and as she touches her own body, it takes all she has not to grab the mark and just torture him until he talks.

"What's your name?" he asks her. She can't tell if he's enjoying the show or not and this bothers Sarah. He looks almost indifferent and he flinches when Sarah rubs her chest to the best of the music.

"What's yours?" the woman says.

Her mark shakes his head and pulls a hundred dollar bill out of the thick wad of money.

"I pay you, you tell me your name."

"It's Roxy", Sarah replies. Pulling out whatever stripper-esque name hits her lips first.

"No, it isn't. Tell me your name. I give you money."

"I don't need your money."

"Everyone needs my money. And soon, everyone will know my name", Mohammed says. He takes a long sip of his Bourbon and then winks knowingly at Sarah.

_This is going to be easy_, the CIA agent thinks to herself.

"Stop dancing", the man says. "Sit down."

"I'm okay to stand and you're paying me to dance."

"What if I pay you to talk?"

Sarah looks towards the closed door again and then sits down, far enough away from Mohammed to feel safe but close enough for him to feel wanted.

"You're new here", Mohammed says again.

"I told you that before."

"You're different than those girls out there. Why do you dance?"

Sarah's been taught never to get caught off-guard but this situation is throwing her way off.

"Because I want to", she finally says.

"Your body guard is new, too. Did you know he wears a camera in his ear?"

So far it's been mostly quiet between Chuck and Casey but now the former, staying in the van, is getting antsy. Casey tells Chuck to chill out, Sarah can handle this.

But she can't. Sarah's not sure if it's the music distracting her, her mark's heavy cologne and drunk breath or the fact that there's an intense combination of hormones and emotions coursing through her body right now. But she doesn't have a handle on the situation and it's scaring the hell out of her.

"Uh, no. I didn't."

"You lie, silly girl. What is your name?" He stands up to get closer to Sarah and as he does, he flicks the volume on the stereo higher.

Sarah walks backwards until she's backed up against the wall. As she reaches for just one of the knives hidden on her scantily-clad body, Mohammed's hand catches hers and he holds her tightly.

"I'm a smart man", he says. "You are not a smart woman."

"You don't know what you're saying", Sarah says. She's purposely speaking loudly, trying to make sure that Casey or Chuck can hear her over the din of thumping music and dirty words.

"Do you work for somebody? Do you know something?" Mohammed says. His left hand takes a hold of Sarah's chest, then her shoulders, then her neck. His right hand moves to her pelvis, still only clad in a pair of lace panties. Why did they send her on this assignment? She knew she was in over her head. _Crap_.

"I don't work for anybody", Sarah says as she eyes the hand reaching for her neck and then winces when she feels the other hand come in contact with her undergarment.

Mohammed leans in, gets directly in front of Sarah's face and whispers, "You're wearing a wire."

It's not long after that that Mohammed has a hand secured around Sarah's throat. His other hand is still on her crotch and he's got her almost immobilized. She's able to swing her legs a bit, but the man in front of her is so stoic, so still. He doesn't seem to realize what he's doing, or maybe he just doesn't care.

-xx-

"Casey!" Chuck yells into the microphone.

"What?" the older man grunts. He's still standing outside the Champagne room and can hear nothing from within, he can only hear the nerd in his ear.

"Something's wrong. Something is…happening", Chuck says, gulping. "The music got way too loud and I think I just heard Sarah gasp or moan or something. Get in there!"

"Fine, Bartowski. But if she's in there getting information or just getting some, I will wring your neck."

"Casey…"

Casey turns to the door and knocks- once, twice and gets no response. Finally he swings the door open to find his partner on the floor, cradling herself in a fetal position. The mark is sitting on the couch with his Bourbon. _What the fuck?_ is Casey's first thought. The next isn't a thought- he runs over to the blonde woman and checks for a pulse. She's alive, but her breathing is slow and labored. Once her status is ascertained, Casey's next step is to pull out his gun. Mohammed is calm in his reaction, as he's been calm in his reactions all night.

Casey isn't sure what to do next. He wants to tend to his partner, but Mohammed needs to be apprehended. It doesn't look like he's moving to run, though.

Before Casey needs to debate for too long, Chuck has run into the room. Totally out of breath and stumbling. Finally he sees Sarah on the floor and runs to her, crouching in front of her head.

While Casey arrests Mohammed, Chuck leans in front of Sarah's face and grabs her hand into his own.

"Sarah…" he whispers. He's panicked but trying to hide it. But when does that ever work for him? "Sarah, please open your eyes."

"I…I…" the sounds are almost inaudible out of Sarah's lips but Chuck can hear them and he breaks out in a smile but then stops himself from becoming too excited. He's terrified, but Sarah is alive.

"Don't talk…can you open your eyes?"

Sarah nods the best she can and slowly, her eyes begin to flutter open. They're bright blue but cloudy and unfocused.

"We're going to get you to a hospital, okay? Um, blink once to agree. Not that you have a choice."

Sarah blinks once and tries to smile, but it turns into a weird, lopsided grin. Chuck laughs and then picks her up to hold her in his arms.

"You're going to be okay", Chuck says. "I'm going to fix this."

"Bu…" Sarah mutters, coughing from the strain of Mohammed's hand on her throat. "Ba…by. Baby…."

Chuck throws his head back in frustration, "Fuck", he says. "I'm going to fix this."


	4. Chapter 4

The walls are white, the bed sheets are white, the chairs are white but the room is filled with the most colorful, vibrant bouquets of flowers you'll ever see. It almost seems as if the room is literally full of every flower known to man. It's not, though, of course but Sarah's pretty sure Chuck has bought out every florist this side of Los Angeles.

She's been sleeping for much of the night. She had been awake when the ambulance arrived at the strip club but was soon sedated for the ride to this hospital and the frenzied trip through the emergency room and admitting. When she woke up for the first time, six hours had passed and the room was filled with flowers. Chuck was sitting at her side, eyes red and splotchy, hair mussed and unkempt. He clearly hadn't slept or probably even blinked.

"_Uh, Chuck?" Sarah says quietly as her eyes open fully and she sees the brown-haired lanky asset sitting beside her bed. He's staring straight ahead and looks completely unaware of his surroundings. Has he been here all night, she wonders?_

"_Oh my G-d, Sarah", Chuck says when he finally snaps to attention. He grabs the woman's hand and holds on for dear life._

"_What happened? Is he…? Am I…?"_

"_You're, uh, you're fine. I think. Devon met us here last night and helped out. Your neck is pretty bruised but that's mostly it. You have some bruising around your, um, your thighs. He didn't do anything, right?"_

_Sarah shakes her head as vehemently as she can. "No, no."_

"_And they did an ultrasound, Sarah. I had to tell Devon that you're pregnant. Please understand that I…"_

_Sarah waves her hand to stop Chuck's ramble. She closes her eyes to ease her mind a bit. "It's okay. But, please tell me", she chokes out. "Is everything okay?"_

"_Yeah. The baby's okay."_

_Sarah lets out the breath that she's unaware she'd been holding. For the first time in a week, after spending hours and days thinking and wondering and freaking out, it hits her. She puts her hand on her stomach and begins to cry. The pain in her throat makes her sobs more painful but she doesn't care._

After crying for a few more minutes, she turned to Chuck and then looked down, not wanting him to see the regret and pain in her eyes. She apologized but Chuck shook his head and told her to rest.

After Sarah has eased her eyes open again some hours later, she inspects the room and finds it empty. She panics momentarily, suddenly afraid of being alone. Before she grows tempted to pull the IV out of her hand and search the halls, Chuck walks into the room. He carries several balloons which makes Sarah smile. Then she sees Devon and another doctor walk in behind Chuck and she grows nervous. Despite her numerous hospital stays over her ten year CIA career, she still hates the doctors, the sterile rooms and the jello.

"Good morning, Sarah", Devon says kindly. He walks over to her bed and pulls the woman's chart from the footboard.

"Hi", Sarah replies curtly. "What's going on?" To say Sarah Walker is a weary woman would be a gross understatement.

"I'm just checking in. I won't be your doctor; I just helped last night while you were in the Emergency Room. Dr. Hart will take over but until she arrives, Dr. Madison will perform another ultrasound, okay?"

"Uh, yeah", Sarah says. "That's fine." She's about to see her baby for the first time and so many emotions are compounding her body in this moment. She turns to Chuck who takes a seat next to her bed while Dr. Madison sets up the ultrasound machine. Devon stands back and smiles to himself as he watches Sarah and Chuck.

"I'm Dr. Madison, as you've heard", the man says. He's older, with salt and pepper hair and wire-rimmed glasses that make him appear smart. It's the minutia that Sarah notices, a hazard of the job. "I'm going to be your obstetrician while you're here. Your boyfriend told me earlier that he doesn't think you've been to a doctor. Is that true?"

"Yeah, I haven't been", the blonde woman admits shamefully. Suddenly feeling honest, she continues, "I was never sure if I was going to keep the baby…"

Devon, still standing in the back, is shocked but Sarah can't see because she's purposely turned away from him. She knew he would react that way- sad, disappointed, confused. Like Chuck.

Chuck grabs Sarah's hand and squeezes hard.

"And how do you feel now, Ms. Walker? I don't advise putting a woman through a sonogram if she intends to get an abortion."

Sarah nods as she squeezes Chuck's hand back. "I'm going to have the baby", she says. It wasn't a sudden revelation; it was every moment since she found out, it was the moment that Mohammed grabbed her crotch. It was all she saw when she lost consciousness. A normal life. A baby.

"Okay, then", the doctor says. "I'm going to need you to open your gown at the waist. I'll administer this gel to your stomach, okay?"

"Uh huh", Sarah utters. This is excruciatingly new to her. It's hazy, almost like she's living in an incredible dream. Before she knows it, the doctor has a transducer on her flat stomach and he's moving it around. He speaks as he does so.

"As I told Chuck last night, you are just about ten weeks along, which translates to two and a half months. The heartbeat", he says as the thumping noise begins to fill the room, "is in the normal range."

"Oh my G-d", Sarah whispers. She turns to Chuck who has tears in his eyes.

"What?" he asks. "I'm not crying!"

Sarah smiles knowingly and the turns back to the doctor and the ultrasound machine. The screen is all black and white grainy blobs but when she thinks she can make out a hand, the emotions begin to really start hitting her.

"I can't…" she whispers, still in pain. "This is incredible."

"It is", Dr. Madison says as he begins to print images from the machine and then cleans off Sarah's stomach. "Now, there are some things that I have to tell you since you waited so long to see a doctor. I would like it if stress- physical and emotional- was kept to a minimum. The fetus seems healthy but you just went through a traumatic event which could alter a pregnancy significantly. It's also important to get enough rest as well as proper nutrients. Does that seem reasonable, Ms. Walker?"

"Yes, of course…I'll do anything."

"Do you have a lot of stress at work?"

Sarah turns to look at Chuck, again. She's not sure if she wants to laugh or cry at the doctor's question.

"Um, not much…I sell frozen yogurt."

"Alright, then. I'm sure you'll be fine. Before you're discharged, I'd like to set up an appointment for next month."

"That's fine."

"Doctor, if you'll excuse us", Chuck says. "Can Sarah and I speak alone?"

"Of course. Please page me or Dr. Woodcomb if there is a problem."

Chuck and Sarah nod and Dr. Madison and Devon make their way to the door. Devon turns around after the other doctor leaves and he smiles widely.

"Congratulations, guys. This is awesome!"

The couple by the bed laughs and then Devon makes his way into the hall, closing the door lightly behind him.

"How do you feel?" Chuck asks. His hand is still intertwined with Sarah's and his thumb fiddles with the gold ring on her pointer finger.

"I don't even know", Sarah replies. "I'm so…happy, I guess."

Chuck cocks his eyebrow and smiles. "Was that so hard to say?"

Sarah offers him a knowing half smile and she continues, "Yeah, it was. Chuck…have you ever wanted something so much, so intensely and then once you get it, you can't stop being scared shitless?"

"Every day of our relationship, Sarah. But I think everyone feels that way at times in their lives. You really want this baby, right? You're not going to regret this?"

Sarah is caught off-guard by his question but knows she shouldn't be. She looks him in the eye and sighs.

"No", she replies. "I don't know. Chuck, this is all so new to me. I don't know the answers yet, but I feel something when I think about you and having a baby with you." Sarah bites her lip and smiles at the man who is smiling goofily right back at her.

"Love, maybe?" Chuck asks.

Sarah nods slowly. "Mhmm", she says as she takes Chuck's hand and puts it on her stomach like he had tried to do the day before.

"I can't believe we made a baby", Chuck says, in total awe.

The couple is silent for a while as Sarah's hand joins Chuck's on her lower stomach. Soon, Sarah's smile turns to panic as the events of the past day start to click into place.

"Shit. Chuck, did you tell Casey?! Oh, G-d…"

Chuck takes his hand off of Sarah's abdomen and puts it on her cheek. "Shhh, Sarah. You're starting to sound like me", Chuck says, pausing as Sarah lets out a chuckle. "I didn't tell Casey. But believe it or not, the man is _freaked_. He's' been in the waiting room since we got here last night."

"Wow, that's…interesting. Can you bring him in? I want to tell him."

Chuck stands up while raising his eyebrows at the woman.

"I'm serious, Chuck!"

"Okay."

In the five minutes that Sarah is left alone, she tries to collect her thoughts- the sonogram was off-the-charts insane and she's so excited, she feels like a completely different person. And as she realizes when Casey and Chuck walk in, she's been softly rubbing her belly. She puts her hands back at her sides when Casey walks over to her, standing well, like a soldier.

"Sit down, Casey", the blonde agent says to the stoic man standing rigid next to her.

Casey grunts and takes his seat in the chair next to Sarah's bed. "How are you feeling?" he asks.

"I'm okay", Sarah says. "It still hurts a little when I talk. Good thing I'm not much of a talker. Um, and I'm sure my body will be sore when I can finally stand up."

"That's good…" he says, his head clearly up in the clouds. He's seen a lot during his NSA career but Sarah didn't deserve this.

"I want to tell you something, okay?" Sarah says. "And I know you're going to freak out because that's exactly what I did."

"Spit it out, Walker", Casey says, not letting himself appear emotional for too long. Perish the thought.

"I'm pregnant", she says. Like ripping off a band-aid.

"Come again?" Casey replies, his eyes nearly bugging out of his head.

Chuck laughs from the doorway at the man's comment. "That's what she said", he says. In response, he gets a glare from Casey and a "I'm trying not to laugh" smile from Sarah.

"Pregnant? How did that happen? You were hardly around Bryce before he died…"

Sarah clears her throat to interrupt the colonel. "It's not Bryce's."

"Then, who…? Oh, no. Bartowski?! Really?" Casey exclaims, again turning to glare at Chuck before returning his shocked gaze to his partner. "Apparently he can be your cover boyfriend but he can't cover anything else."

"Hey!" Chuck says. "I'll have you know…wait, no, nevermind."

"Are you keeping the baby, Walker?"

"Yes, I am, Casey."

Their determined glances are striking. Neither breaks eye contact until Chuck speaks up.

"So, who wants to tell Beckman?"

-xx-


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note** – This chapter is so long overdue. I'm sorry, guys! I had a bit of writer's block. In exchange, this chapter is kind of super long. For me, at least.

I felt that Sarah was a good deal OOC so I had to rewrite some of what I had written. However, I also realized that Sarah's pretty bipolar on the show so my back-and-forths of her emotions isn't that OOC after all.

-xx-

"You're _what?_" the tiny red-headed director general exclaims two days later following Sarah's release from the hospital. All that are left are bruises but Sarah and the baby would be fine. Of course, this was before Sarah told her superior officer.

"Ma'am, I'm having a baby", Sarah repeats.

The team is in Castle, Sarah sitting in a chair and Casey and Chuck standing protectively on either side of her.

"Who is at fault for this?" General Beckman asks.

"I am, General", Chuck says after glancing reassuringly at his female handler.

Beckman says, "Of course you are. Walker, you know this is highly against protocol. Having romantic feelings for your asset is one thing. Having a sexual relationship and getting pregnant is another matter entirely. I will talk to the director of the CIA as soon as possible but you may be looking at immediate dishonorable discharge."

The three in Castle are shocked to say the least, but as Beckman's hand nears the "disconnect" button, John Casey speaks up.

"If I may, ma'am, Sarah Walker has served this country honorably and proudly for the past ten years. The CIA made her one of their own when she was 18 and had nowhere to go. Surely something can be worked out to avoid ending her career." Casey is firm in his words and he and Chuck and Sarah wait patiently for any kind of change in Beckman.

"We'll be in touch", the General finally says, ending the video conference.

The gang stands in silence for several minutes, yet again, until Sarah speaks.

"I'm sorry", she says. It's only a whisper but Chuck and Casey can hear it as plain as day. Sarah quickly gets up from her chair and walks out of Castle.

"Let her go", Casey says to Chuck who is making moves to the stairwell.

"When have I ever listened to you?" Chuck asks, turning around and racing up the stairs to find Sarah.

"Good point", Casey mutters. Once he sees that Chuck has left, he looks towards the computers and turns off the surveillance on the Orange Orange. Though tempting, he can't bring himself to spy on this conversation.

When Chuck emerges from the "freezer", he finds Sarah sitting in a booth, staring into space. He notices that she has flipped the "open" sign on the door to "closed".

"Sarah?" Chuck says quietly, walking towards his handler. He sits down next to her and puts a fallen strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers linger there until Sarah turns to face him.

"I'm sorry", she says again.

"For what?" Chuck is genuinely curious and seriously concerned.

"I messed everything up. The CIA was my _family_. They are all I have." Sarah's eyes fill with tears, something Chuck is not used to seeing. In a way, he's glad she's opening up but it still scares him.

"I get that, Sarah. I do", Chuck says. Sarah can tell that he's being genuine and she can't help but smile a little at the sweet man in front of her. "But we can be your family now", he continues. "Me and…it?"

"It?" Sarah asks. "I don't like the way that sounds."

"Okay, me and Baby Charah. And even Casey…"

"Charah? Really?"

"Well, I'm not sure that Baby Suck has the same ring to it."

"Chuck, no swearing!" Sarah says, putting a protective hand on her abdomen. Still a new thing that she's not quite sure why she's doing but has noticed that she does a lot lately.

"The baby doesn't have ears yet", Chuck says. Confident in his assertion.

"How do you know?"

"I may or may not have read things."

"See! You've read things. I haven't done anything. I'm going to be such a terrible mother", Sarah says. How could anyone say she'd make a good mother when all she's good for is seduction and good aim?

"Well, to be fair, last week you didn't even think you were going to have the baby", Chuck replies. Foot, meet mouth.

"You just made my point, Chuck."

"That's not what I meant, Sarah."

"I want this baby, I swear that to you. There's something about the prospect of a family that's been haunting me for years. I'm not just a CIA robot", she says. Both to reassure Chuck as well as herself.

"I know that", Chuck says. He rests his hand on her leg now, trying to control the fidgeting that Sarah didn't even know she was doing.

The damn hormones are going to be the death of her and the ride has barely even started.

"Can I tell you something?" Sarah asks.

"Of course."

"I've never had a real family. You met my dad, you know that I've just been a pawn in his games. He started conning when I was 7. My mother had left the year before. She took my sister with her. I'm still not sure why. So I never had a mother and I've never really had a father, either. I have no idea how to be a parent." Sarah's eyes are glistening with tears again and she ducks her head down, ashamed of her admission.

"Everyone has these fears. But you're going to be a great mother. I could make an endless list of reasons why."

"Name one", Sarah insists.

"Well, Lord knows you'd fight off any guy who came near her", Chuck teases.

"Stop. Seriously, Chuck."

"You are the sweetest person I know. You care about people, you protect them."

"It's my job."

"Maybe so, but that's not why you do it. And you know what? Very few parents go into this thinking they'll be fantastic. It's okay to be a little scared, Sarah."

"What about a lot scared?" Sarah asks.

"That's fine, too. But I'll be right by your side, as much as you'll let me."

"Thanks for the pep talk, Chuck", Sarah says as she wipes tear stains from her cheeks.

"Any time. Now, I have a serious question to ask you", Chuck says as he sits up straighter in his seat and begins to look uncomfortable.

Always on alert, Sarah asks with a hint of panic in her voice, "What is it?!"

"We have to tell Ellie."

At his benign comment, Sarah begins to laugh and then slaps his shoulder. "What the hell? You scared me!"

"But Ellie is scarier."

"She'll probably be ecstatic", Sarah says. "Do I have to give you the pep talk now?"

-xx-

Kicking and screaming is how Chuck has come to Ellie and Devon's apartment door. He also whined…a lot. Sarah laughed the whole car ride, glad that Chuck is finally back to being the nervous wreck of the two.

"Chuck, stop dragging your feet", Sarah says as the two walk up to the apartment.

"I'm nervous", he replies. "I mean, have you met Ellie? She's either going to yell or crush us with hugs. Either way, not a pretty picture."

"Would you like me to do all the talking?" Sarah asking, a smile playing on her lips.

Chuck snaps his head up to look at Sarah (and her sarcastic smile). "Would you?"

Sarah nods and grabs Chuck's hand in hers. Chuck knows this is just part of their cover relationship but he has desperately been wanting to talk to Sarah about what all of this will mean for their real relationship. That'll be the next conversation to be had. If he survives tonight.

Sarah raps lightly on the door and it takes just seconds for Ellie to appear – she's clearly excited for the couple's arrival.

"So, Devon keeps smiling like he knows something and you know that I hate secrets so will either of you please tell me what's going on?" Ellie says, always the rambler. Sarah smiles, finding the Bartowski siblings don't just share the brown hair.

"Ellie, calm down", Chuck says, suddenly finding an even tone to his voice. "Sarah, should we tell her?"

"Now?" Sarah asks. "We're standing in the doorway."

"Oh, I'm sorry. My manners escape me when I'm being kept out of the loop", Ellie says. She walks inside, leaving the couple to steal a glance at one another. Sarah squeezes Chuck's hand and he squeezes right back. They walk into the familiar apartment and find Devon and Ellie already seated on the couch.

"So?" Ellie says.

"Well…" Chuck starts.

"I thought I was going to do the talking", Sarah says.

"If you really want to, go ahead."

"Okay, Ellie…Devon already knows because I saw him at the hospital…"

In true Bartowski fashion, Ellie interrupts, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. I'm…great, I think."

"You think?" Ellie asks, raising her eyebrow questioningly.

"Chuck and I are…having a baby", Sarah finally spits out.

Ellie is silent for quite some time. For Chuck and Sarah, it begins to feel like an eternity. Chuck swears that he's only seen her blink once.

"Ellie?" Chuck asks. He turns to Sarah and says, "See, I told you she would freak out."

"Chuck", Sarah chastises.

"You're pregnant, Sarah?" Ellie says, as she stands up from the couch. She walks closer to the couple and they visibly flinch.

"Yes, I am…" Sarah says. "I saw Devon after I had a, uh, fall. But everything is okay with the baby."

"In fact, everything is awesome", Devon says, chiming in to try to get his wife to react.

"Oh, my G-d…" Ellie says, first quietly and then again loudly. "Oh my G-d!"

Before Chuck and Sarah can register too much fear regarding Ellie's exclamation, she envelopes the couple in a tight embrace.

"This is incredible!" Ellie says. "And everything is okay with the baby?"

"Yup", Sarah says.

"Everything is great", Chuck adds.

"How far along are you?!" Ellie asks as she grabs Sarah's hand and pulls her to the couch.

"Just about three months", Sarah says as she sits down next to Ellie.

The brunette woman smiles widely at the blonde and then turns to the two men still standing idly. "You guys shoo. I want to talk to Sarah alone."

Chuck steals a glance at Sarah and she smiles warmly and mouths, "It's okay" before Chuck turns to Awesome and suggests dinner out – healthy, he promises.

Once the men leave, Ellie looks to Sarah and smiles. "Wow", she says.

"You're telling me", Sarah replies.

"How do you feel about all of this?"

"I'm not going to lie; I was not happy at first and was probably going to get an abortion."

"Really?" Ellie asks, shocked at Sarah's admission. Sarah hadn't even realized how candid she had been, what she had said, until Ellie's reaction.

"I'm not the mother type. I didn't think I was ready…"

"What changed?"

"Well, I told Chuck. And then I had that…fall. I was unconscious for a good few hours and all I kept seeing was this little girl playing on a swingset. She had Chuck's wild curls and my eyes. And then I woke up and got to see the baby and hear the heartbeat and I had no idea that I would react the way I did."

"What happened?"

"It was almost like shock. I can't explain it. I still don't think I'm ready in the slightest, but I think it'll be okay."

"What about Chuck? What will this mean for you guys?"

If only Ellie knew…Sarah's been thinking about this for days. Everything is so up in the air and she knows that she loves Chuck, but has no idea what will happen from here. The next conversation to be had, Sarah thinks.

Finally, Sarah speaks, "We haven't really talked about that yet…"

"Sarah, are you okay?" Ellie asks after the blonde agent awkwardly trails off and looks towards the door. "You know you can tell me anything."

Oh, if only that were true.

"Yeah, I'm fine", Sarah replies, just a little too quickly. "Okay, no. This is very new to me. I'm terrified."

"Oh, Sarah…you're going to be fine! You have me and Devon for support and you will always have Chuck. He loves you so much."

Sarah smiles without teeth, happy to hear Ellie's words but contemplating their meaning at the same time. Does Sarah want a real, non-CIA related relationship with Chuck? Under all of her bravado and innate skill at emotional detachment, yes- Sarah very much wants to be with Chuck. But can they manage to get through all of the governmental hoops? _Think with your heart_, Sarah tells herself, _not your brain!_

"Thank you, Ellie", the agent says. "That means a lot. Do you mind if we continue this another time? I really need to see Chuck." So much needs to be said and it needs to be said now, before Sarah loses her nerve.

"Of course. Go ahead. Oh, and Sarah – congratulations."


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note**- This chapter is a little shorter than the others, but I thought that it would be best as a one-scene chapter and I like the way I ended it. I'm excited to read your reviews, as usual!

-xx-

When she enters her hotel room, the place she's attempted to make her home for the past three years, she's suddenly strike by its darkness. It's cold and it's lonely and after Sarah's conversation with Ellie, all the CIA agent wants to do is cuddle in bed. With Chuck.

After flicking several lights on, taking her gun out of its spot tucked into her jeans and kicking her shoes off, she climbs onto the bed. Sitting Indian-style in the center, she pulls her cell phone out and lays it in front of her. Sarah needs to call Chuck. She's fully aware of this. She's desperate to talk to him about what's going on in her head, what she wants now. Before hesitating any more, Sarah fiddles with the touch screen until she's pressed Chuck's name and she hears the ringing.

It's one and a half rings before Chuck answers.

"Hello?" he says.

"Hey Chuck, it's me. Listen, can you come by my place?" Sarah asks as she bites her bottom lip out of nervousness.

"Of course. Do you want me to bring anything? Chinese? Chocolate croissants?"

"Just yourself", Sarah replies.

There is a pause on the line until Chuck speaks up.

"Are you okay, Sarah?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. There's just some stuff I want to talk about."

"Alright. I'll be there in twenty."

"Bye…"

After hanging up, Sarah cautiously gets up off of the bed, still sore from the attack. She unbuttons her jeans and lets them fall to the floor. Clad now only in her shirt and underwear, she walks over to the mirror and studies herself. Hair in a mussed bun, make-up only haphazardly done several hours prior. The tears she shed on her drive home are still evident on her cheeks. Moving downward, she pulls her shirt up slightly, resting just at her ribcage. Sarah takes her hand and lets it rest on her lower stomach.

What…is that? She thinks. No, no – it's way too soon for her to be showing. But Sarah swears as she turns to the side, first right and then frantically to her left, that there is a bump. And suddenly, everything is so painfully real that the tears start flowing again. Sarah hasn't cried this much in…G-d knows how long.

Once she's gained some semblance of her composure, she moves back from the mirror to inspect her body again and the bump is gone. Could she be imagining things? Damn hormones.

This would be the worst part- not being able to control her body. Not that she's been able to control the last several weeks of exhaustion and frequent vomiting.

Sarah glances at the iHome on the wall, a thoughtful gift from Chuck, and realizes that she should put some clothes on before his arrival. Sweats? No, way too un-Sarah like. Work out pants? Not like she'd be able to do much of that soon. Finally, she reaches into her dresser and pulls out a pair of worn-in jeans: her favorite piece of clothing even among the evening gowns and expensive lingerie.

It's a few minutes of trying to make herself look more put together than she feels and then a knock at the door interrupts her thoughts.

"Come in", Sarah says as she walks closer to the foyer.

Chuck swings the door open and walks in, a bashful smile on his face and a box of pizza in his arms.

Sarah can't help but laugh, his smile is so infectious.

"You sounded sad on the phone and the best thing to combat sadness is a veggie pie with no olives", Chuck says as he sets the pizza on the bed.

"I couldn't agree more", Sarah says, her voice just above a whisper.

Chuck opens the box and then grabs the paper plates and napkins that he also carried in. He dishes out a slice and hands it to Sarah, smiling warmly as he does so. He then grabs himself a slice, staring at it while Sarah begins eating.

"Sarah?" he asks.

"Uh huh?" Sarah replies, taking a bite of the pizza.

"Why did you sound sad on the phone? Is everything okay?"

Sarah puts her slice down and then sets the plate on the bed. She puts her hands in her lap and begins fidgeting. That damn nervous habit.

"Everything is fine, Chuck. I just needed to see you."

Chuck grins and then takes a bite of his pizza. "I'm hard to resist, I know."

"I wanted to talk to you before I lost my nerve."

"This sounds serious."

"I'm just…" Sarah begins. "I'm tired of lying."

"What are you lying about?" Chuck asks, weary of her answer.

"I've been lying to myself for years…about how I feel about you, about us."

Chuck gulps. Okay, he thinks. Could this be it?

"I, uh, I love you, Chuck. And maybe this baby was conceived out of desperation and fear, but that morning meant a lot to me and I'm sorry that I couldn't say it until now."

"It's okay. I know how hard this is for you. Sure, the past few years having you as my fake girlfriend have been torturous at times, but you've had a rough go of it your whole life."

"You mean to say that I'm damaged?" Sarah replies, somewhere between serious and joking.

"No! Not at all. You just protect your heart. I used to do the same. Until I met you."

"You used to scare me", Sarah admits.

"Little, old me? I wouldn't hurt a fly! Well, only if he threw the first punch."

"Chuck."

"I'm sorry, go on."

"I don't know…you scared me because you loved me and I've been trained to be weary of that. You scared me because you made me feel emotions that I've been trained to suppress. I hate the G-ddamned CIA, Chuck."

"Then, leave."

"I can't do that."

"Let Beckman fire you. This can be your life now", Chuck says.

"I want to start a real relationship", Sarah says, ignoring the gravity of what Chuck is suggesting. Strange, moving from one terrifying proposition to another.

She's tired of lying, tired of pretending and tired of hurting. She wants to know love; real love.

Chuck is rendered speechless by Sarah's rushed comment. He should be ecstatic but at the same time, he thinks walking on eggshells may be a good idea.

"Sarah, are you sure?" he asks.

"Yes", she replies confidently. "I've been sure for a while but I've been too chickenshit to admit it. Life is too short. I see that every day. It's time for me to join the real world."

Sarah smiles at Chuck and he smiles back.

"This is the second happiest day of my life", Chuck says.

"Second?!"

"Well, the day you told me you were having our baby will always be number one."

The couple feels like the moment couldn't get any cheesier. They settle into a kind of silence as they resume eating. All of this is still so new to Sarah- could she have become a different person so quickly?

Sarah and Chuck look up from their plates at the same time and begin laughing.

"Speaking of the baby…" Sarah says.

"Is everything okay?!" Chuck exclaims, already the freakishly overprotective father.

"Everything is fine", Sarah replies as she gets up off the bed and stands in front of the father of her child. She picks up her shirt like she had done before Chuck's arrival tonight.

"Do you see that?" Sarah asks, pointing to where she saw the bulge earlier. She turns to the side to give Chuck a better look.

"Oh, wow. So, skinny Sarah is on her way to having a belly?" Chuck asks playfully.

"Shut up! You really see it? I'm not imagining it?"

"No, something is there…" Chuck replies, transfixed on the spot. "Unless you've been eating an abnormally large amount of pizza without me."

Sarah laughs. "Nope. Just tonight." She puts her shirt down and hops back onto the bed. Next to Chuck this time.

"We're really going to do this?" Chuck asks as he lays a hand on the little bump of Sarah's stomach. She lets him.

"We're going to try. This baby really brought us together."

"It's a story to tell the kids one day."

"Kids? Plural?" Sarah asks, looking at Chuck with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course", Chuck says. "Why stop at just one?"

-xx-


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note** – I'm not even going to try to excuse myself.

-xx-

Sarah loathed being on desk duty. She hated being stuck in Castle. And she hated being told to stay in the car on the rare occasion that she was let out of Castle. Team Bartowski was able to compromise with the CIA and as a result, Sarah would spend the duration of her pregnancy doing the analysis work and then the "situation" (the agency's word, not Sarah's) would be re-evaluated once her maternity leave was over.

It's a completely new world for Sarah: relative normalcy. Relative because she still spends her days observing surveillance taps and researching criminals; still working out despite having almost totally lost her center of gravity.

Normalcy because when she wakes up next to Chuck, she still can't help but smile. Every morning he rests his large hand on her growing bump and he talks to the baby about video games and music, steering clear of talk about what Mommy and Daddy do for a living.

At eighteen weeks along, it is getting closer to when Sarah and Chuck can find out the sex of the baby. And her doctor said that Sarah should be able to feel the baby move soon. At this notion, the CIA agent is supremely freaked out. It's one thing that the baby still looks like an alien on the ultrasound monitor, but to feel it move around in her stomach is another matter altogether.

In the van on this rainy Tuesday, Sarah stares longingly at all of the monitors. _Ah, to be in the field again._

A routine mission has Chuck and Casey trying to take down a Colombian drug cartel who is using a Los Angeles elementary school to deal drugs and weapons.

It must be the new, strange motherly instincts that Sarah still doesn't know what to do with, but the idea that dangerous criminals are using a kindergarten classroom to run drugs and guns disgusts her so much that she wants to vomit. And it's not because of the morning sickness that still has not gone away.

As she watches Casey and Chuck try to work a deal with the bastards, suddenly something happens inside her. Almost like something is tickling her from the inside of her stomach.

"Oh my g-d", Sarah whispers, though loud enough to attract Chuck's attention. He looks up at the security camera with a slightly terrified look on his face. He covers it well so the bad guys don't notice, but Sarah does.

"It's okay, Chuck", she says reassuringly. "Keep going, I'll tell you later."

The couple seems to have worked out some unspoken language so with one look, Sarah knows that Chuck is still concerned. He exchanges glances with Casey who also heard Sarah's exclamation.

"Guys", Sarah says firmly now, "I'm fine, the baby's fine. Keep going."

With that, Chuck and Casey return to their mission, agreeing to a trade that would go down the next day, culminating in a CIA bust.

-xx-

"What happened?" Chuck exclaims as he jumps into the van ten minutes later.

Sarah looks up at Chuck, pulling out her mic and earwig.

"The baby moved", she says calmly.

Chuck falls into a chair in near shock. "What?" he says.

Sarah's trying ridiculously hard to contain her excitement but it's just not possible. Her face breaks out into a wide smile. "I don't know. It was so strange. One minute I'm watching you two and the next it feels like I literally have butterflies flapping around in my stomach."

From the front seat, Casey grunts. "Thanks for that mental picture, Walker", he says.

"Shut up, Casey", Sarah and Chuck both reply simultaneously and they break into smiles again.

"Is it still moving?" Chuck asks as he moves his hand to rest on Sarah's stomach. She's used to this kind of contact from him but remains CIA Sarah-esque in that no one else is allowed to touch her bump.

"No, it was just that one time but I'm sure it'll happen again soon."

"You scared me shitless, by the way", Chuck says as he removes his hand. "My pregnant girlfriend cannot say 'oh my g-d" without expecting me to freak out."

"Honey, don't freak out. I told you I was fine."

"Still, I worry", Chuck says. "It's my nature."

Another signature grunt is heard from the front. "You guys are nauseating", Casey says.

"Oh, you love it, Uncle Casey", Chuck teases.

"Don't call me that."

This time it's Sarah's turn. "Do you prefer Grandpa Casey?"

'If you weren't pregnant…" Casey mumbles under his breath.

"What was that?" Chuck asks.

"Nothing. Just keep your gooeyness to a minimum. I'd rather not have to puke while I'm driving."

"We'll try", the couple says, smirking.

-xx-

A week after Baby Bartowski's first kick and with a mission successfully completed, Chuck and Sarah have just one more mission on the horizon: finding out if "Baby Charah" (as Morgan has deemed it) is a boy or a girl.

The pool at Buy More, naturally organized by Lester and Jeff, has boy in the lead by a landslide. Devon and Ellie have their money on girl and Casey insists that he doesn't care which everyone knows is a lie.

But like every cliché of expectant parents, Chuck and Sarah just want a healthy baby; albeit maybe with brown curls and blue eyes.

On this day, the day when the couple is to find out the sex of their baby, they sit unusually quiet in the doctor's office. Sarah, sitting on the edge of the cot, is thinking about how it's still weird to her that she's on leave from her position as a deep cover field operative and having a baby on top of it all. Chuck, sitting on a stool next to the cot, is still in disbelief that he's landed the girl and that they're starting a family.

"Hey Sarah", Chuck says as he looks up from the comic book he brought.

As Sarah turns her head to look at him, she smiles and lays her hand on her stomach. "You made the baby kick", she says.

"Sorry?" he says, apologizing for something, though he's not quite sure what.

"No, no- the baby knows your voice and they like it. Man, this baby is really moving in here", Sarah says, looking down at her hands clasped over her stomach.

Chuck smiles wistfully and says to no one in particular, "I'm gonna be a dad."

"Yeah, I think that's pretty evident from this huge bump."

Chuck scoots closer and puts his hand on top of Sarah's. He leans up and kisses her softly on the cheek, whispering, "You look beautiful", in her ear.

Sarah smiles and playfully swats her boyfriend away. "You did this to me; don't think you won't pay", she teases…maybe.

"And thus begin the mood swings…"

"Excuse me?"

With impeccable timing, the doctor knocks and opens the door to the exam room, revealing a man caught like a deer in headlights and a blonde with a death glare.

"Good afternoon", the doctor says to the couple, familiar with their antics.

"Hi Dr. Wilson", Sarah says.

"You have excellent timing", Chuck remarks.

Getting right down to business, the woman in the lab coat asks, "You're here for the anatomy scan today, correct?" When the couple both nod, the doctor continues, "and you'll be wanting to find out the sex?"

"Yes."

"Absolutely."

"Alrighty then, let's get started. Sarah, I just need for you to lie down and pull your shirt up to rest by your bra." As Sarah does what the doctor has instructed of her, Chuck leans his chair in closer and Dr. Wilson readies all of the equipment.

When the transducer makes contact with Sarah's stomach and the grainy images begin appearing on the screen, the couple quietly gasps.

"Wow…" Sarah says. "The baby has gotten so big."

"Yes, much bigger since your last sonogram. The features are more developed. Can you see the head?" the doctor says, pointing to the screen.

"The baby definitely has your giant head", Sarah says to Chuck, giggling to herself.

"Hey! You love my head", Chuck replies.

"Now is neither the time nor the place", Sarah says, smiling again, her attention returning to the image in front of her.

"Can you tell if it's a boy or a girl?" Chuck asks the doctor who continues to move the transducer around Sarah's stomach.

"Just waiting for the baby to stop wiggling", Dr. Wilson says as she points to the monitor. "It's like he or she is kickboxing in there."

Chuck cracks a smile and now it's his turn, "That's all Sarah."

Just as Sarah turns to glare at Chuck again, the doctor stops moving the transducer and says, "Okay, then. We've got visual."

The couple's glances both return to the screen but hell if they could make anything of it.

"What is it?" Sarah says, anxious and excited.

"It's a girl", the doctor announces to the waiting parents to be.

The room is quiet as Sarah and Chuck take in the new information and try to process it. As they do so, Dr. Wilson cleans up Sarah's stomach and begins to close up the machinery.

"Wow", Sarah finally says, pulling down her shirt and turning to Chuck.

Chuck, in turn, finally removes his attention from the now blank screen and looks to his girlfriend, softly grabbing her hand in his own. "Wow", he repeats.

"This is so real now."

"She's going to be wrapped around my finger, isn't she?" Chuck asks.

"Oh yeah", Sarah replies, reaching up to kiss Chuck as they both rest their hands on their baby girl, tucked safely in her mother's belly.


End file.
